Boon for Diabetics: Novartis and Google Work Towards Smart Contact Lenses
Boon for Diabetics: Novartis and Google Work Towards Smart Contact Lenses
Swiss drugmaker Novartis has come to an agreement with Internet giant Google to develop “smart” contact lenses to enable diabetics to track blood glucose levels. It also restores the ability of the eye to focus. The device for diabetics seeks to measure glucose in the tear fluid and enable the data to be send wirelessly to a mobile device, according to Novartis.
The technology is life-saving for diabetics. They will be spared the pain of pricking fingers as many as 10 times daily to check their body's production of glucose. If Novartis succeeds, they will certainly have a sweet deal. The global blood-sugar tracking market is expected to reach a net worth of over $12 billion by the year 2017, as per the figure provided by research firm Global Data.
A total of 382 million people worldwide are affected by diabetes. The second approach is presbyopia where aging eyes have a difficulty to focus on objects that are nearby. Novartis is aiming to use lens technology to restore the ability for the eye to focus. This can be likened to an autofocus on a camera.
Non-invasive sensors as well as microchips and miniaturised electronics are to be embedded within the contact lenses. As per the deal with Google, Novartis's Alcon eye-care will lead to further development and commercialisation of this product in collaboration with Google(x) which is the American firm's development team.
Financial details have not been disclosed yet. The alliance comes in the wake of explorations between drugmakers to reshape the healthcare industry and empower patients to take care of themselves and be independent. Such innovations can also work towards lowering the cost of the management of chronic diseases.
Technology firms including the trinity, Apple Inc, Samsung Electronics Co and Google are aiming to find health related applications for wearable devices. Novartis Chief Executive Joe Jimenez has indicated that the product could be on its way to the market in just 5 years.
High technologies are combined with biology to create what Jimenez has told Reuters is the “very exciting combination for us”. More and more fields where medical needs are yet unmet can look to innovations that have the potential to not only improve the quality of lives, but save them as well.
Licensing deals may be for the eye, but there is more to it than meets the eye. Consider how this technology could find application in other areas such as remote patient monitoring in heart failure. With such innovations becoming a norm rather than an exception, those suffering from health problems and diseases can rest easy knowing that help is hand and good days are around the corner.
